Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, etc. They belong to Tamora Pierce.
The rain fell heavily on the city of Corus. Everything was gray. Not even the pigeons were outside. It was the perfect day to compliment a day of mourning. Today, six years ago, Rebeka Cooper, the Terrier, Bloodhound, Mastiff, had disappeared. Today was also her birthday. If she was alive, she would be twenty-eight.
All of this went through Rosto the Piper's head as he sat on his throne in the Dancing Dove. He watched the rain pour outside through a large window in the front of the pub/inn. He had been sitting there for hours. Actually since an hour before dawn. Rosto stared out the window, thinking of the woman whom all of Corus mourned on this day. His love, their hero and protector. The only person who understood him more than he did himself. The woman who had become the most revered and feared Dog Tortall had ever seen.
As Rosto was lost in his memories, a hooded figure emerged from the fog and mist to appear at the end of the street. A flash of lightening from the dark sky above revealed briefly from beneath the hood, a pure black cat with mysterious, purple eyes draped around the shoulders of a pretty mot with piercing, ice-blue eyes.
She walked down the street, heading for the Dancing Dove. She wondered why no one was outside. Even on days like this, she remembered that people would be in the streets, doing errands, shopping and other things. The streets of Corus were never deserted. She remarked to the cat about this, he only responded with a mrrt. Shaking her head she noted the locked doors and shutters on every building on the street. The only light for her to see by was the faint candlelight that managed to leak through the slatted shutters of the windows.
The mot walked up to the door of the Dancing Dove. She froze, wondering if what she was doing was cracknobbed or not. Did he still love her? Even after she disappeared without a trace, without a letter or note of explanation? Did he think her dead? The cat reminded her that there was only one way to find out. Grumbling about how she hated it when the cat was right, she lifted her hand from beneath the dark cloak to grab the handle of the door and twisted to open the door. She quickly walked in out of the rain and turned to gently shut the door with her back to the room.
Rosto looked away from the window to see who had come through the door. Who was this hooded person? No one went outside on this day. He prepared to let a dagger slip into his hand from a sheath strapped to his arm. Lightning flashed, illuminating two pairs of eyes, turned slightly towards him. No, it couldn't be, he was imagining things.
The hooded person turned to face him directly. He slowly straightened in his throne, tensing for an attack. The person came towards him. Rosto slyly checked that all his daggers were in place.
The mot stopped in front of her love. She lifted her hands, palms forward to signify she meant no harm. Slowly, she lifted her hands to her hood and flipped it back, revealing her face.
"Beka…"
Hi everyone! This chapter and onwards are now edited, hopefully I've gotten rid of all the kinks. Tell me if you spot any more. Thanks!